» This article's about the form of music and dance. For the musical notation program, see Cakewalk (sequencer).For other meanings, see Cakewalk (disambiguation). Cakewalk's a traditional African American form of music and dance which originated among slaves in the Southern United States. The form was originally known as the chalk line walk. The dance takes its name from competitions held on plantations prior to Emancipation, in which prizes, sometimes cake, were given for the best dancers. As a… (More on Cakewalk)